Mama Alto

Earning a living is precarious enough at the best of times for independent artists and creative freelancers. Now, with sector-wide shutdowns prompted by necessary COVID-19 precautions, the outlook for artists is even more dire, writes cabaret performer Mama Alto. These are trying times for everyone, but especially so for professionals in the arts sector. The heavy hitters of Australia's arts industry began closing their doors to the public temporarily this week, including state institutions like the National Gallery of Victoria, Sydney Opera House, and Melbourne Recital Centre, to name just a few. Across the nation, festivals like Dark Mofo, Vivid Sydney, the Sydney Writers’ Festival and the Melbourne International Comedy Festival have been postponed or cancelled, while major productions like Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Billy Elliot and Come from Away announced early closures. The economic shockwaves of these big-budget cancellations will be devastating, but it’s the independent artists, creatives, freelancers, smaller venues and arts-adjacent contract or casual workers who will be hit hardest. Events and audiences are the most significant source of income for a broad diversity of jobs within the arts sector, from musicians to dancers, visual artists and authors to independent producers and venue owners. That extends to the production crews, bar staff, ushers, box office, sound and lighting professionals and many more who support them. For the most part, these workers